Former Noble daycare owner found guilty of first-degree murder in death of 5-month-old baby

KFOR

Melissa Clark was arrested in July 2016 after she allegedly threw 5-month-old Braelyn Zachary onto a bouncy seat, giving her a “subdural hematoma, severe retinal hemorrhaging in both eyes and a bruise on her forehead.”

NORMAN, Okla. -- (KFOR) -- A daycare owner who was accused in the death of a baby was found guilty of first-degree murder by a Cleveland County jury Thursday afternoon, according to the Norman Transcript.

The jury recommended 47-year-old Melissa Clark serve life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Clark was arrested in July 2016 after she allegedly threw 5-month-old Braelyn Zachary onto a bouncy seat, giving her a “subdural hematoma, severe retinal hemorrhaging in both eyes and a bruise on her forehead.”

In court documents, Clark listed two different incidents that injured the baby the day she was taken to the hospital.

Clark told investigators, around 11:30 that morning, she was holding the baby and went to the kitchen and, while opening a water bottle, “somehow, Clark dropped the baby and the baby hit the tile floor.”

She said the baby’s head “hit the tile first.”

Later, she said “the other children were arguing and fighting, and she couldn’t get them to stop. At that time, the baby was also crying and wouldn’t stop. Clark lost it and threw the baby onto the bouncy seat.”